I am by no means an expert on this subject, but here's how I see it.
People in the UK (and Ireland) need local distributors. Local distributors are not charities and therefore do need to make a profit on the products they supply - we all need to eat, don't we? I imagine Local distributors have more overheads to cover than a single person just buying products for themselves (staff, warehouse/premises etc.). Not everyone wants to have to wait 6/7 weeks for products that have to be sent by surface mail. I am sure Creative are not the only nail related company that refuse to send products to countries that have their own distributor, I have been refused on a number of occasions by a few companies when I have tried to buy from them rather than a more local company. Here in Ireland, I don't have the selection of distributors that I had when I lived in the UK, and STILL some companies refuse, telling me to order from the UK.
I haven't compared Creative UK prices with USA, but if they are 3 times more expensive, then that is not uncommon, again, especially over here in Ireland. Count yourself lucky, I have to pay more for Creative/EZ Flow/Too Much Fun products here in Dublin than I would normally have to if I ordered from the UK. I know for certain of one Irish nail distributor who has to charge 3 times what they pay in order to make a profit for themselves, and trust me, it isn't a huge profit they make.
I know it's irritating to see the prices of things in America compared to what we pay over this side of the pond, but it just the way things are, we have to live with it - look at the price of piggin' petrol/diesel for example (and that's the ONLY thing we get cheaper than the UK..... 20p a litre cheaper over here!!! :lol: ) - the Americans nearly die of shock when they hire a car over here - revenge is sweet!!! :green:
Jackie
Liberty Nail Design
Dublin